SQL Server – priority boost option

Priority boost is ON

What does priority boost option do?

The option will make SQL Server run the sqlservr.exe process and threads as High Priority.

It has the potential to drain resources from essential OS & networking functions, resulting in problems and shutting down SQL Server.

Microsoft’s best practices do not recommend to enable this feature.

By the way, this check is a part of our SQL Server Health Check service.

How can I check if the priority boost option is enabled?

  1. Using SSMS, right-click the instance name and select Properties.
  2. Then click on the Processors tab.
Figure 1 – Boost SQL Server priority option.

How do I disable Boost SQL Server priority?

You can disable it using the interface above.
Another way is to implement the change running the following script:

  1. EXEC sys.sp_configure N'show advanced options', N'1';
  2. GO
  3. RECONFIGURE
  4. GO
  5. EXEC sys.sp_configure N'priority boost', N'0'
  6. GO
  7. RECONFIGURE
  8. GO

More information

Microsoft – Configure the priority boost Server Configuration Option

Mark Varnas

Mark Varnas

Hey I'm Mark, one of the guys behind Red9. I make a living performance tuning SQL Servers and making them more stable. I channel my SQL into our SQL Managed Services, SQL Consulting and our internal database products.

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